鸿鹄之志

Pronunciation: hóng hú zhī zhì Literal meaning: Swan's ambition

Origin & Usage

The idiom 鸿鹄之志 (hóng hú zhī zhì) originates from the story of Chen Sheng (陈胜), a figure from the late Qin Dynasty. As a young man, Chen Sheng worked as a farmhand. One day, while resting from labor, he expressed his ambition to achieve wealth and status, saying, 'If I become rich and noble, I will not forget my friends.' His peers laughed, doubting his lofty aspirations. Chen Sheng responded with, 'How can sparrows understand the ambitions of swans?' (燕雀安知鸿鹄之志哉). This phrase highlights the contrast between those with grand ambitions (鸿鹄, swans) and those with limited vision (燕雀, sparrows). The idiom symbolizes having great aspirations and the perseverance to achieve them, despite humble beginnings or skepticism from others.

Examples

English: "His ambitions are as lofty as those of a swan soaring in the sky."

Chinese: 他的志向像天上的鸿鹄一样高远。